‘Baba Katya’

As Sunday was International Women’s Day, we thought it befitting to share the story of Russia’s oldest postwoman.

At 83-years-old, Ekaterina Dzalaeva, or ‘Baba Katya’ as she is affectionately known, delivers the post to residents living between the districts of Mizur, Buron and Tsei in Russia’s Caucasus Republic of North Ossetia.

She walks 25 miles a day, six days a week…and she’s been covering the same mountain route for more than 50 years.

After leaving school at 14, to help out on the family farm, Dzalaeva started delivering mail ‘by accident’ when the town’s beloved postman, Dudar Basiev retired.

She had been fascinated with Mr Basiev’s job since her childhood years, during the war, as he used to deliver her brother’s letters to her from the frontline.

When he finally retired, she picked up his mailbag and began delivering letters and packages to the neighbouring villages. She’s been doing it ever since.

Fame caught up with the octogenarian postwoman when a local TV station picked up her story.

Her customers say they are always happy to give the famous postwoman a ride if they see her walking along the road, but Dzalaeva told Russia Beyond that she often prefers to walk as she loves to chat and interact with people, despite the risk of bears, wolves and leopards!

Like so many of our own colleagues, Dzalaeva’s customers describe her as ‘always very friendly, active and diligent.’

Photo by Russia Beyond.